Exercising machine



g- Jill951 E. w. BROCKMAN ET AL 2,565,348

EXERCISING MACHINE Filed Nov. 23, 1948 I 4 Sheets-Sheet l E. w. BROCKMANET AL 2,565,348

Aug. 21, 1951 EXERCISING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 23, 1948 8"@951 E. w. BROCKMAN ET AL 2,565,348

EXERCISING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 55 i 57 @(Jyfi56 g- 1951 E. w. BROCKMAN ETAL 2,565,348

EXERCISING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 23, 1948 Patented Aug.21, 1951 EXERCISING MACHINE Emory W. Brockman, Hartsville, and WilliamL. Parsons, Sr., Philadelphia, Pa., assignors, by \mesne assignments, toReconstruction Finance Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofthe United States Application November 23, 1948, Serial No. 61,714

8 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in exercisingmachines.v The principal object of the present invention is to providean exercising machine which effectively affords the muscular activitysuitable to physical therapy needs.

Another object of the invention is to supply a machine of the typedescribed which may be adjusted readily to meet the needs of individualswith functional limitations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterset forth which incorporates with hand controlled adjustments to allowfor various arm and leg lengths of users.

Another object and highly important object of the invention is toprovide an exercising machine having the foregoing characteristics whichembodies easily controlled adjustments to regulate the degree andlocation of the activity. In order to satisfactorily control thelocation and degree of exercise activity, it is essential to maintainone part of the body in a fixed position and radiate the activity fromthis fixed point. Since the hip joints are "the central hinge of thebody structure, only by keeping the seat stationaryand having allmovement related to this fixed point is it possible to definitelycontrol the amount of activity and the parts of the body in which it islocalized. v V

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the statedtype which may be operated either as a passive exerciser by power ormanually by the user.

A further and important object of the inyention is to provide a machineas set forth wherein the drives to the pedals and handles are con;structedand arranged to provide a constantly changing relationshipbetween the pedals; and handles. Y

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a machine havingthe foregoing features and characteristics which is pleasing inappearance, quiet and efficient in operation and free from vibration.

These and other objects of the invention and the various features anddetails of the construction and operation thereof are hereinafter fullyset forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of an exercising machine made inaccordance with the present invention showing a person seated thereon;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken longitudinallythrough the exercising machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevational view of the machine with a portion ofthe casing thereof broken away to illustrate the construction andarrangement of certain of the operating elements disposed interiorlythereof;

Fig. 4. is a detached view in perspective showing the drive motor andmounting bracket therefor;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the drive transmission ofthe exercising machine, the coverplate of the transmission housinghaving been removed to better illustrate the construction andarrangement of the gearing and linkage therein;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the transmission housing a portion of whichhas been broken away to further illustrate the construction andarrangement of the gearing and connections therein;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 11, Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-8, Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an exercising machineshowing a modified arrangement of the drive transmission;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the disclosure in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a detached view in perspective of a bell crank lever embodiedin the modified trans mission mechanism shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, an exercising machinemade according to the present invention comprises a hollow basestructure In including a continuous enclosing side wall portion II and atop portion 12. Feet 13 of rubber or other resilient material aresecured to the bottom edge of the wall ll of the base which is adaptedto rest upon the floor or other fiat supporting surface.

The base Ill mounts a relatively fixed seat M which is secured at theupper end of a tubular sleeve l5 that receives telescopically therein arod or support l5 which is fixedly secured to the upper surface of thebase top portion I 2 so as to extend obliquely upward therefrom asillustrated. The relative position telescopically of the tube l5 andsupport rod 16 are adjustable through the medium of a lock screw I! topermit the seat I4 to be adjusted to the desired height with respect topedals hereinafter described.

Secured internally of the base III to the underside of the top portionl2 thereof is a substantially closed transmission housing l8 includingvertically extending parallel spaced side walls l9 and 20, the latterbeing removable and serving as a cover. Extending transversely of thehousing [8 adjacent the lower rearward corner thereof is a drive shaft21 which has its opposite end portions rotatably mounted in the housingsidewalls l9 and 2G. The shaft 2! extends a short distance laterallybeyond the housing wall 20 and has fixedly secured thereon a pulley 22of predetermined diameter.

Preferably the pulley 22 is of relatively heavy construction andfunctions in the manner of a fly-wheel when rotationally driven. Thecircumference of the pulley 22 is grooved as shown to receive therein aV-belt 23 which is in turn driven from a relatively smaller pulley 24secured on the drive shaft of an electric motor or other source ofrotational power 25. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention themotor 25 is supported from the rear wall of the transmission housing l8by means of a bracket structure 26, for example, constructed and adaptedto support the motor 25 in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of thedrawings.

Fixedly mounted upon the drive shaft 2| within the housing I8 is a gear2'! which is meshed with a gear 28. This gear 28 is fixed upon an idlershaft 29 which extends transversely of the housing I 8 parallel to thedrive shaft 2! and has its opposite ends journaled in the housing sidewalls I9 and 20 as shown, for example in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Alsosecured upon the shaft 29 is another gear 3!] which is meshed with agear 3| fixed upon an idler shaft 32 that likewise extends transverselyof the housing [8 with its opposite ends journaled in the housing sidewalls '19 and 2D.

The gear 3! in turn is meshed with a gear 33 which is mounted on atubular sleeve 34. The sleeve 34 extends transversely of the housing Itand has its opposite ends rotationally journaled in the side walls isand 26 of the housing. The sleeve 34 is keyed or otherwise securedrotationally to a pedal shaft 35 which is adapted to be slidablyinserted through the sleeve and housing. As shown in Fig. 6 of thedrawings, the opposite ends of the pedal shaft 35 are designed toproject laterally from opposite sides of the housing I8 and have fixedlysecured thereon pedal shanks 36. The pedals or foot supports 31 on thepedal shanks 35 are provided with spring clips 38 which are constructedand operable to engage over and retain users feet of various sizesfirmly in position upon the pedals. In addition, the pedal shanks 35 arereadily detachable from the pedal shaft 35 in order that pedal shanks ofvarious lengths may be mounted on the shaft '35 as required.

From the foregoing it will be aparent that the motor 25 will operatethrough the belt 23 to drive the fly-wheel pulley 22 and its shaft 2|with the result that the said shaft '21 will operate through the trainof gears 21, 28, 30, 3'! and 33 to rotationally drive the pedals 35 at apredetermined rate of speed. The transmission is designed with referenceto a predetermined pitch diameter gearing so that the relationshipbetween pedalspeed and oscillation of handle can be varied, eitherfaster or slower by changing the gear combination without changing thecenter distances of the .journal bores in the housing.

Mounted for oscillatory movement toward and away from the fixed seat 14is ahandle structure 40. This handle structure All includes a goose neck4| which has one end thereof adjustably secured by means of a hand screw42 in the upper end of a tubular sleeve 43. Likewise adjustably securedas at 44 to the other end of the goose neck 4| is a handle bar member4-5 having opposite lateral extensions 45 provided at their extremitieswith handgrips 4'! which preferably are rotationally mounted upon thesaid extensions 46.

The sleeve 43 in turn is adjustably mounted, for example, by means of ahand screw t3 upon a rod or support 49 which has its lower end threadedin or otherwise secured to the semicircular portion 50 of a mountingmember 5!. The member 51 is rotatably mounted upon a transverselyextending shaft 52 that has its opposite ends supported in the oppositeside walls l9 and 20 of the housing !8. The semi-circular portion M ofthe member 5| projects through a slot or opening in the top portion 52of the base Ill and cooperable with said portion 53 is a cap or seal 53which serves to prevent the entrance of dust and other foreign matterinto the transmission housing l8 and also prevents oil leakagetherefrom.

Depending from the handle mounting 5: below the shaft 52 is an arm 54and the handle structure 46 previously described is oscillated towardand away from the fixed seat M about the axis of the shaft 52 throughconnections to the arm 54 from an eccentric 55 which is mounted on theaforesaid shaft 32. Thus, the eccentric 55 has a forwardly extending'armportion 55 which has its outer end pivotally connectedby a pin 51 to oneend of a link 58 which has its other end pivotally connected b a pin 59to the arm 54. The pin 5'! is carried by the spaced arm portions 68 of arocker 5| having a sleeve portion 62 which is rotatably mounted upon ashaft 63 extending transversely of the housing I8 and having itsopposite ends supported in the housing side walls 49 and 29.

The construction and arrangement of the drives to the pedal shanks '36and to the handle structure 40 are such that the pedals are rotatedslightly in excess of a complete number of revolutions for each completeoscillatory stroke of the handle structure 40. By this arrangement,instead of providing a fixed relationship between the pedals and handle,it will be apparent that there is provided a constantly changingrelationship between the pedals and handle. Furthermore, by thedescribed construction and arrangement it will be apparent that therelative speeds of operation of the pedals and handle may be varied asdesired Without altering the ratio between the drives merely by varyingthe diameters of the pulleys 22 and '24. In addition, the constructionand arrangement of the drives is such that the device may be pedaledmanually, the fiy-wheel effect produced by the pulley 22 providingsmoothness and adequate momentum to such manual operation. Th mountingson the top portion I2 of the base [0 for the seat and its support aswell as for the handle structure 40 may be concealed and the generalappearance of the machine improved by providing in "the top of the basea cap or cover C, for example, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of thedrawings. Alternatively, the base ID and cover C may be a unitarystructure such as a single or one-piece casting.

A modification of the drive to the handle structure is shown in Figs. 9,l0 and 11 of the drawings. In the modification there illustrated, thearm 64 is disposed circumferentially of the eccentric 65 approximatelyfrom the shaft 32 and extends or projects upwardly through a slot oropening in the top of the transmission housing 66. The free end of theeccentric arm fi l is piv otally connected by means of a pin 61intermediate the forwardly extending bifurcatedportions 68 of one arm 69of a rocker member 10.,The rocker has its centralportion in the form ofa sleeve II which is rotatably supported upon a pin 12 which issupported in spaced parallelears 13 provided on the top surface of thetransmission housing 6's. The rocker. ll) also has a depending armportion 14 arranged at right angles with respect to the aforesaid armportion-69 and the free end of the depending arm 14 i pivotallyconnected, for example, by means of a pin 15 to the inner bifurcatedendportion lli of a, link H. The forward end of the linkv "is pivotallycon-iv nected, for example, by means of a pin l8 to the lower endportion of a handle structure 80 at a point above the pivot fil thereof.As in the case of the embodiment first described, the exposed operatingmembers may be enclosed and the general appearance improved by providinga cap or cover therefor such as, for example, the cover C shown in. Fig.1.of the drawings and previously referred to. i

From the foregoing description, it will be ap: parent that the inventionprovides a novel exercising machine which affords effective muscularactivity suitable to physicaltherapy needs. The invention alsoprovidesan exercising machine the elements of which are readilyadjustable to meet the needs of individuals with functional limitationsand also to allow for various arm and leg lengths of the users.Furthermore, the invention provides a machine affording regulation ofthe degree and location of the exercising activity and wherein thedrives to the pedals and handle are constructed and arranged so thatthere is aconstantly changing relationship between them. In addition,the invention afford a machine which may be operated either as a passiveexerciser by power or manually by the user, andwhich is pleasing inappearance, quiet and efficient in operation, and free from vibration.

While certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated anddescribed herein it is not intended to limit the invention to suchdisclosures and changes and modifications may be made therein andthereto within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. An exercising machine comprising a base having a relatively fixedseat adjustably supported therefrom, a pivoted handle extending upwardlyfrom the base for oscillatory movement toward and away from the seat, atransmission housing supported by said base, a pedal shaft supported bysaid housing, pedals mounted on the opposite end portions of said pedalshaft, a rotat able drive shaft supported by the housing and extendingexteriorly thereof, a flywheel fixed on said drive shaft exteriorly ofsaid housing, power means operatively connected to the flywheel torotationally drive the flywheel and said drive shaft, at least one idlershaft transversely within the housing having geared connection with saiddrive shaft and said pedal shaft so that the former operates to drivethe latter at a predetermined rate of speed, an eccentric on said idlershaft, and connections between said eccentric and said handle tooscillate the handle.

2. An exercising machine comprising a base having a relatively fixedseat adjustably supported therefrom, a pivoted handl extending upwardlyfrom the base for oscillatory movement toward and away from the seat, atransmission 6 housing supported by said base, a pedal shaft supported,by said housing, pedals mounted on the opposite end portions of saidpedal shaft, a rotatable drive shaft supported by the housing andextending exteriorly thereof, a flywheel fixed on said drive shaftexteriorly of said housing, power means operatively connected to theflywheel to rotationally drive the flywheel and said drive shaft, atleast one idler shaft supported by the housing having geared connectionwith said drive shaft and said pedal shaft so that the former operatesto drive the latter at a predetermined rate of speed, an eccentric onsaid idler shaft, and connections between said eccentric and said handleto oscillate the handle, the construction and arrangement of the drivesto the pedals and handle being such that the pedals rotate slightly inexcess of a whole number of revolutions for each complete stroke of thehandle to thereby provide a constantly changing relationship between thepedals and handle during operation of the machine.

3. An exercising machine comprising a base having a relatively fixedseat adjustably supported therefrom, a pivoted handle extending upwardlyfrom the base for oscillatory movement toward and away from the seat, atransmission housing supported by said base, a pedal shaft extendingtransversely through said housing, pedals mounted on the opposite endportions of said pedal shaft, 'a rotatable drive shaft transversely ofthe housing extending exteriorly thereof, a flywheel fixed on said driveshaft exteriorly of said housing, power means operatively connected tothe flywheel to rotationally drive the flywheel and said drive shaft, atleast one idler. shaft transversely within the housing having gearedconnection with said drive shaft and said pedal shaft so that the formeroperates to drive the latter at a predetermined rate of speed, an,eccentric on said idler shaft having an arm extending therefrom, apivotally mounted rocker member having said eccentric arm connectedthereto, and a link connected to said rocker and to said handle tooscillate the handle.

4. An exercising machine comprising a base having a relatively fixedseat adjustably supported therefrom, a pivoted handle extending upwardlyfrom the base for oscillatory movement toward and away from the seat, atransmission housing supported by said base, a pedal shaft extendingtransversely through said housing pedals mounted on the opposite endportions of said pedal shaft, resilient clips associated with saidpedals operable to engage and retain feet of various sizes firmly uponsaid pedals, a rotatable drive shaft transversely of the housingextending exteriorly thereof, a flywheel fixed on said drive shaftexteriorly of said housing, power means operatively connected to theflywheel to rotationally drive the flywheel and said drive shaft, atleast one idler shaft transversely within the housing having gearedconnection with said drive shaft and said pedal shaft so that the formeroperates to drive the latter at a predetermined rate of speed, aneccentric on said idler shaft having an arm extending therefrom, apivotally mounted rocker member having said eccentric arm connectedthereto, and a link connected to said rocker and to said handle tooscillate the handle, the construction and arrangement of the drive tothe pedals and to the handle being such that the pedals rotate slightlyin excess of a whole number of revolutions for each complete stroke ofthe handle to thereby provide a conamazes stantly changing relationshipbetween the pedals and handle during operation of the machine.

5. An exercising machine comprising a base having a relatively fixedseat adjustably supported from the base, a transmission housing mountedinternally of said base, a handle structure pivoted internally of saidhousing and extending upwardly from the base for oscillatory movementtoward and away from the seat, a pedal shaft extending transverselythrough said housing, pedals mounted on the opposite end portions ofsaid pedal shaft, a rotatable drive shaft transversely of the housingextending exteriorly thereof, a flywheel fixed on said drive shaftexteriorly of said housing, power means mounted internally of the baseand operatively connected to the flywheel to rotationally drive theflywheel and said drive shaft, at least one idler shaft transverselywithin the housing having geared connection with said drive shaft andsaid pedal shaft so that the former operates to drive the latter at apredetermined rate of speed, an eccentric on said idler shaft having anarm extending within said housing in the direction of the handle pivottherein, a rocker member pivotally mounted in said housing and havingsaid eccentric arm pivotally connected thereto, and a link pivotallyconnected to said rocker and to the mounting bracket of said handle tooscillate the handle.

6. An exercising machine as claimed in claim wherein the constructionand arrangement of the drives to the pedals and the handle are such thatthe pedals rotate slightly in excess of a whole number of revolutionsfor each complete stroke of the handle to thereby provide a constantlychanging relationship between the pedals and handle during operation ofthe machine.

'7. An exercising machine comprising a hollow base having a relativelyfixed seat adjustahly supported from the base structure, a transmissionhousing mounted internally of said base, .a handie structure pivoted tothe base and extending upwardly therefrom for oscillatory movementtoward and away from the seat, a pedal shaft supported by said housing,pedals mounted on the opposite end portions of said pedal shaft, arotatable drive shaft supported by the housing and extending exteriorlythereof, a flywheel fixed on said drive shaft exteriorly of saidhousing, power means mounted internally of the base and operativelyconnected to the flywheel to rotationally drive the flywheel and saiddrive shaft, at least one idler shaft supported by the housing havinggeared connection with said drive shaft and said pedal shaft so that theformer operates to drive the latter at a predetermined rate of speed, aneccentric on said idler shaft having an arm extending upwardly andoutwardly of said housing, a rocker member pivotally mounted on andexteriorly of said housing and having said eccentric arm pivotally.connected thereto, and a link pivotally connected to said rocker and tosaid handle to oscillate the handle.

8. An exercising machine as claimed in claim '7 wherein the construction.and arrangement of the drive to the pedals and to the handle are suchthat the pedals rotate slightly in excess of a whole number ofrevolutions for each complete stroke of the handle to thereby provide aconstantly changing relationship between the pedals and handle duringoperation of the machine.

EMORY W. BROCKMAN.

'L. PARSONS, SR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,320,489 Turner V- -.V J une 1,1943 2,406,344 Bergfors Aug. 27, 1946

